64: QUEENSLAND AGRICULTURAL JOURNAL. [1 Jay., 1898. 
INFLUENCE OF THE MOON ON WEATHER AND CROPS. 
A CORRESPONDENT asks us if the moon has any influence on the weather in 
connection with agricultural operations. The days have long since gone by 
when the planets Jupiter and Saturn were supposed to influence our destinies, 
but the faith of mankind in general in the influence of the moon on the 
weather has never been shaken, and even now, when knowledge is so widel 
diffused, and physical science brought, as it were, to the doors of all who haye 
the slightest pretension to education, this belief is almost universal. 
Virgil, in his Bucolies, says: Jupiter descendet plurimus laeto i nbri—which, 
being interpreted, means: Jupiter shall descend most abundant in a joyful 
shower. 
And again: If you will work the ground for a crop of wheat and stout 
corn, and. will be eager for ears of corn alone, let the Eastern Atlantides be 
hidden beneath the horizon before you trust the seeds to the furrows 
(Georgics I.). 
If the moon act upon our atmosphere as she acts on the waters of the 
ocean, she will produce atmospheric tides. But without going deeply into the 
subject we may state that from thousands of observations carried out by Arago, 
Laplace, and others, the effect of the lunar attraction on atmospheric tides is 
within 535 inch—a quantity such as could produce no conceivable effect on the 
weather. The opinion that the changes of the moon are attended with changes 
of the weather, is unsupported by facts. Dr. Horsley, so far back as 1774-5, 
published two papers in the “ Philosophical Transactions,” with a view to 
dispel the popular prejudice on the subject of lunar influences. In the first 
year he found there were only two changes of weather corresponding with the, 
new moon, and none with the full moon; and in the second year, only four 
* changes corresponded with the new moon, and only three with full moon. 
Neither theory nor experience leads to the conclusion that the effects which 
the attraction, or the light, or the presence, or any other physical influence 
of the moon may be supposed to produce on the weather or on the sowing, 
growing, or gathering of crops, are in accordance with observed phenomena. 
Of course it is not impossible that future scientists may discover some 
connection between the moon and the vegetation of the earth, for the wisdom 
of to-day is the ignorance of to-morrow. The celebrated astronomer, Arago, 
who in 1832 published a most valuable report on the subject of comets, said: 
—“ Whatever may be the progress of the sciences, never will observers, who 
are trustworthy and careful of their reputation, venture to foretell the state of 
the weather.” Sixty-five years later we find the weather accurately forecast 
for a certain time ahead by the Queensland Government Meteorologist, Mr. 
Clement L. Wragge. _ 
In matters of science, therefore, the word “impossible” can never be — 
accepted. At present we are told by eminent scientists that the moon has no 
effect on weather or crops. We may find this fallacious some day, but mean- 
while we present our correspondent with the opinion of the sciéntists of the 
day. 
